Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1887-03-06
MINISTER AND POLISHER.
AN ODD GENIUS WHO Is THE
HAPPiESr MAN IN GOTHAM.

NEW YORK, March 5.-The happlest
man In the city of New York was found
In the basement of the Metropolitan Hotel
about O'Clock at night. The gorgeous
barroom overhead was flooded with light,
and there was the tread of many feet on
It's tesselated flooring. Judges, Alder
men, State official and other dignitaries
sat at its three little marble tables, and a
host of theatre habitues stood at its
splendid bar. The happiest man in the
city was on his knees beneath the main
stairway. He was backing boots. The
music OF his brushes was deadened by the
soft clicking of billiard balls in The room
above, and by faint strains of melody from
Ntblo's Garden, where the snowy ballet
of the "Black Crook" was displaying it's
glories. The man was first discovered by
Ed Gilmore, the theatrical manager,
who is making a fortune out of Mrs.
Langtry. 1t was rather a curious dis.
covery. Gilmore had been standing at
the bar, umbrella in hand, treating a
squad of Southern gentry. His diamonds
shone like stars of the first magnitude.
He is the pink of perfection in dress, but
on this night the streets were sloppy, and
| his 9 'n1 were in a sad state. Brought
| to proper sense of their condition by a
Joc,..... comment. he invited the writer to
visit the boot-room. There the nappiest
man was found. He was go years old and
nearly as black as coal. His wool was
| tinged with the frost of time, and the
white of his eyes and his moustache We'd
| with each other in relieving the darkness
| OF his complexion. He wore dOeskin
| trousers, and striped bingham jumper
| as clean as brand new check apron. His
| own shoes bore polish that would have
done credit to Fifth avenue dandy. The
| room was beneath the main stairway Of
| the hotel. 1t was as neat as wax. No
| housewives boudOir could be more cosy.
| 1t was furnished with rugs and four or
| five cuspidores of shining metal. The
| gaslight " as softened by shades of ground
glass. A portrait OF Andrew johnson,
| fianked by engravings OF favorite steam
ships under full sail, hung on the wall.
A low bench was fitted into a niche be-
meath the stairway. 1t held marble
slab covered with backing. The slab
looked as though it might have served to
distribute ink on the roller of proof
press. Several bottles of water and shoe
| polish stood near. and an array of brushes,
| both soft and stiff, awaited summons to
arms. Whisk brooms were suspended in
! odd corners, and clothes brushes peeped
| from plush pockets close bv. There was
| a raised platform opposite the bed Of
| polish. Four easy chairs were ranged
| upon it, inviting US to seats near two
window embrasures. Iron pedals were
reared before each chair to keep the
shoe in position while ''shine" was be-
ing given.
As we entered the room it's occupant
was singing an old negro hymn, each
| verse ending with the refrain:
"My Lords gone to Galllee."
He stopped singing as we mounted the
| platform and took seats, and began to pay
| strict attention to business. The dried
mud was carefully rubbed from Gill;
more's legs, and coarse brush removed
| the dirt from his shoes. Backing was
| then applied and the soft polishing
| brushes were brought into play. Several
| bound volumes lay on the window stills.
| examined one. To my surprise it proved
| TO re copy of BaXter's saints Rest"
| The surprise was intensified on ascertain.
ing that its companions were Edwards
| on Revivals," stray volume of Adam
| Clarke's Commentaries" and MOODY
| anu Sankey hymn book. A glance at Gill
| more showed similar establishment on his
part. His tongue had suddenly become
silent. He was examining a Bible as
| large as a city directory, and he seemed
| deeply interested in Its od-time wood
| cuts. He Gazed at an engraving OF ely
mus Struck with Blindness for minute
or more, and he was apparently much
| impressed with an illustration of "Zac-
cbeus Up the Tree" but delineation,
the fate OF Ananias and Sappbira, startled
| him so that he ABRUPTLY closed The book.
! The titles of the other works did not
| tend to steady mis- nerves. He fidgeted
uneasily in his chair, regained his CON-
| posure and said:
"Men in New York think they know it
| all, but they don't. l've. run NIblo's
| Gan den for ten years, but never was In
| this place before. l took it for bootblacks'
| nest, but it seems to be regular Gospel
shop"
The proprietor moistened a shoe with
his breath and drove his brush vigorously
over it's surface. The gasight danced
within the figured shades to the soitened
strains of the "Blsck Crook" music. Gill
| more touched him on the shoulder with
| the tip OF his umbrella. "Uncle." he
! said, edo you black boots or praise God
herer
"With all due respect, sir, I do both"
said the meek negro, without betraying a
particle of the Ethiopian dialect.
Gilmore looked nonpiussed, but he had
struck quaint stream of inquiry. and
he followed it to It's logical sequence.
(which pays the bestw be asked,
| as ne withdrew his right foot from the
iron pedal.
''The Almighty Father, SIR" was the
humble reply. "He is the Paymaster OF
the Universe, sir. his workmen never
strike for wages. He declares q dividend
Of love and peace every night ard MORN
ing, sir. IL sends sunshine into the heart,
lifts the cloud from the brow, and il light.
ems the heavy burdens on the road of life,
SIR"
Gilmore bllnked and began to whistle.
He seemed disturbed in mind. The old
man was again silent. He had bent him.
self TO work on the left foot with brush
in each hand, and ne was running both
brushes with the regularity of u piston
rod. The manager OF the theatre made
another break.
"Brother Johnson,n said ne, 81 suppose
you read these books when you're all
alone h o?'i-.
"With alf GuStreetgct. sir, never was
all alone" was the humble response.
"A man as pIous as YOU pretend to be
ought never to copper the TRUTH" Gilmore
dryly observed.
81 don't understand you, sir,r the negro
replied.
"To copper the truth means to lie, "said
Gilmore. Don't you know anything
about faror
81 know that he was drowned in the
Red Sea. sir. but don't know that N WOO